The Ventura College men's water polo team dropped a Western State Conference decision at Los Angeles Valley College Wednesday afternoon, 23-13. Owen Patterson led the Pirates wit six goals, two drawn exclusions and a steal while Erik Schwartz netted two scores. Wyatt Dingman dished out three assists while Michael Soho and Evan Augusta each dropped a pair of dimes.
Boaz Biglin scored early for Ventura (5-7, 1-2) to tie the game at 1-1 and Patterson found the inside of the cage twice to make it 3-3 midway through the first quarter. The Monarchs scored three straight goals before Soho scored to make it 6-4 at the end of the period.
Patterson scored early in the second quarter to pull VC to within one goal, 6-5, when LAVC went on a 5-0 run to distance themselves from Ventura. The Pirates trailed 13=8 at halftime.
LA Valley continued to pull away and led 18-11 at the end of the third stanza before posting the 23-13 final.
The Pirates will play at the Cuesta Classic II in San Luis Obispo on Friday Oct. 18, taking on Diablo Valley and the host Cougars.